Apparatus for loosening the pits of drupes



July 28, 1953 v. LAWRENCE APPARATUS FOR LoosENING THE PITs oF DRUPESFiled Nov. 8, 1949 n 2 sheets-sheet 1 n Se A, A NN ,J %N ww w Q l@ QQwww uw w% Fm :I w A 1 w N Q\ Q n Gttqmegs v. LAWRENCE APPARATUS FORLOOSENING THE PITS OF DRUPES .I uly 28, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov.8, 1949 EEE'.-

Patented July 28, 1953 APPARA'rUsfFoit LoosENING THE rrrs oFjDRUrEsVane-Lawrence, Menlo Park, Calif., assignor Pratt-Low Preserving Co.,Santa Clara, Calif.,

a corporation of California Application November 8, 1949, Serial No.126,197

l (o1. 14s- 1) 4 Claims.

This invention relates to a fruit and produce piercing'machine, andhasfor one of its objects the provision of a-machine that is Vadapted to`quickly and neatly pierce the body of 'whatever fruit or produce isbeing prepared vfor. further cooking, pickling or whatever furtherprocess is desired.

"The present invention is particularly applicable forv use on clingstonedrupes,V such as peaches, Where the pit remains in the body of thefruit. Pickled or spiced peaches, for instance, are normally cannedwhole with the pit intact, andthe pickle or spice solution must permeateto the pit from the outside to insure a satisfactorily pickled product.The eating of such peaches is quite diflicult and hazardous, inasmuch asthe outside meat or flesh of the peach is usually cut away from the` pitby a spoon. The'hazard exists irrespective of how` the iies'h is cutawaywinasmuchl as the lwhole fruit is extremely slippery.

' By the present method and machine, each peach is pierced adjacent aside of the pit by an elongated element that thus forms a passageway orslit for the entry of the syrup into the peach and at the same time thepit is partially loosened so that the meat outwardly of the pitv readilyfalls away fromV the pit as soon as a cut is made to the said slit.Preferably, and by the present machine, elongated slits are cut alongthe two opposite sides of the pit, the width of such slits and theircontour being such'that inthe ,final fruit the pit remains adhered totheoutsidebody of viiesh or meat along the edges of the pit dening itssuture and at Y'the blossom endjof the pit. The transverse contour ofthe 4slit substantiallyfollows the curvature of the oppo# site sides ofthe pit, and the slit vopens o utwardly of the body at the stem-end ofthe fruit only, whereby, the fruit bodies'will give no noticeableimpression of being different from conventionally pickled or spicedpeaches in whichv the pit connected with the flesh at all sides. 'j jOne of the primary objects of the invention isi a machine that willproduce the above results. Another object of 'the invention is themethod of'lpreparing fruit for processing whereby the cooking orpickling steps are materially expe'- dited. l

A still further object of theinvention is the provision of a new productresulting from the present process or method. 1

An added object is the provision of improved means for piercing fruit ina manner to expedite the further processing where cooking, soaking orother such processing is to be done, and which means also partiallyloosens the seed center of fruit to facilitate eating the finished-product. L f

It may be pertinent to note that the present device is primarilyintended for use with cling'- stone drupes, but its use is notnecessarily -re, stricted to such drupes, since it is readily adapt edfor use on any fruit or vegetable having a' core or seed center,and-where such fruit or vegetable is intended to be subjected tofurther; processing in which the pre-piercing of the body of such fruitor vegetables will expedite 'such processing or will produce 'a'superior nished product. -I Other objects and advantages will appear thedescription and in the drawings. In the drawings,V Fig. 1 is a sideelevational viewof the machinel hereinafter described, with a part ofsaid machine at one end broken open to show structure.

Fig. 2 is a topv plan view of the-machine of Fig. l. Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical sectionall view of the portion of the machine thatcarries'jthe piercing elements, including the latter. Y Y

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional View taken along line ll--llof Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View along line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 6 is an en d elevational View of a peach as seen from the stem-endafter being pierced.

`Fig. y7 'is a side relevational view-of a peachy showing one of thepiercing blades 'at about Athe taken preferred depth of penetration.

In detail, the machine illustrated in thedrawings comprises a frame`having an elongated base l, upright frame members 2, on saidbase,

and cross frame members 3 extending betweenv the upper ends of saidupright members;v Y'

At a point intermediate the ends of saidbase, one of said cross framemembers supports a fruit holder l that virtually comprises anv up#wardly opening, and open ended, generallyvr V shaped channel in whichthe apex of'said 'V shape is downwardly enlarged or deepened as at 5(Fig. 5) with the cross section contour of said enlarged portion beingrectangular. The downwardly convergent sidesof said channel at theirupper ends provide a pair of spaced parallel tracks Gon which the wholebody 'l of a fruit such as a peach, is adaptedit'o be slidablysupported, and centered, f or movement longitudinally of said holder 4.-This holder extends longitudinally of the base l.

The enlarged portion 6 provides a sump in which stems or other foreignmaterial can drop, and such material is readily swept out of either openend of the holder.

Perhaps it will clarify further description to say that each drupe isinitially positioned on tracks s of this holder by the operator with thesuture of the drupe in a vertical plane bisecting the Space between saidtracks and with the stem and blossom ends of the drupe substantiallyparallel with the longitudinal axis of the holder.

A fruit engaging block 9 is positioned at one end of the holder butabove the latter so that 'it may reciprocate longitudinally of theholder above the same.

This block 9 is carried at one end of a horizontally extending rod I0.This rod I extends in direction away from holder 4 and is supported forreciprocation in bearings II carried by several of the cross framemembers 3. The end of said rod opposite bloc-k 9 is provided with adownwardly projecting arm I2, and an expansion coil spring I3 coaxialwith said rod reacts between said arm I2 and the bearing II nearestthereto for retracting the block 9 to a position `at one end of theholder 4 and adjacent the other bearing II that is nearest block 9. Rodle may be squa-re in cross sectional contour to prevent rotation, butthis is not essential inasmuch as arm I2 tends to project downwardly bygravity and to stay down. Insofar as the block 9 is concrned, it may berotatable as well as reciprocable with the rod without impairing itseiciency, and

in some instances it may be desirable that the laterally on the holderby the convergent faces of I. tracks 6, and may be slid along saidtracks longitudinally thereof along a straight line parallel with thetracks and centered in a plane bisecting the space between said tracks.

At the end of base I opposite the end supporting the rod I0 and block 4,is a crank disc I1 that is secured on one end of a horizontal shaft I8,which shaft, in turn, is journalled for rotation in bearings I 9 thatare secured on base I.

The crank disc I1 is preferably circular, and has crank pin projectingfrom a side thereof eccentrically of the shaft I8.

A pitman 2I is secured at one end to pin 20, and the opposite end ofsaid pitman .is connected by a Wrist pin 22 with one end of ahorizontally extending rod 23 that is spaced below rod I9 and that .isparallel with the latter. Rod 23 is supported in bearings 24 forreciprocation.

The outer end of arm 23 opposite crank I1 terminates outward-ly of theend of rod I0 that is thereabove, and the said outer end of arm 23 hasan upstanding arm 26 secured thereto. This arm 23 overlaps the arm I2that depends from the outer end of rod I0. Upon rotation of crank I1 andconsequent reciprocation of rod 23, the arm 2li will engage arm I2 for apredetermined time during travel of rod 23 `in direction toward crankI1, thereby moving rod I0 and the fruit engaging block l9 in thedirection of said crank and against the resistance lof spring I3. Uponmovement of the rod 23 in direction away from crank I 1 the spring I3will return rod I0 and holder 9 to its original position.

The crank I1 may be rotated by any suitable means and at any desiredspeed. A motor 28 is indicated in the drawings as being on base I andconnected by a belt 21 with a pulley 28. Obviously any conventionalspeed reducer or vvariable speed transmission may be employed betweenmotor 28 and the crank if desired.

BetweenV crank I1 and the fruit holder 4 is a horizontally extendingblade holder 39, shown in detail in Fig. 3. This holder is supportedabove base I by several Aof the upstanding frame members 2, the holderbeing horizontally elongated and tubular and being releasably secured inposition and against dislodgment by a key 3l held in a keyway 32 formedin the upper side of the holder. A ring 33 on frame members 2 surroundsthe holder 39 and key 3I and a screw 34 threadedly extending throughsaid ring and against said key 3I will secure the latter in place. Bolts35'.

extending through a base 36 on the ring (Fig. 4) releasably secure rings33 to the frame members 2.

The longitudinal axis of the holder is coaxial with the rod I0,.and theinterior of holder 30 is formed with a bore 31 at its end adjacent thefruit holder or support 4, which bore opens directly outwardly of theblade holder at said end, said bore being coaxial with rod I0.

The opposite end of the blade holder 30 is enlarged by a counter bore 38that opens out- Wardly of the holder at the end of the holder that isadjacent crank I1. The outer end oi' this counter bore is threaded for aplug 39 that in turn is formed with a through bore 49 vcoaxial with bore31. e.

A horizontal rod 4I slidably extends through bores 3.1, 40 and projectsoutwardly of the bore 40 a short distance over the fruit holder 4. Theopposite end of rod 4I is provided with a stop nut 42 that is threadedon said opposite end, which nut is outwardly of the plugr 39, and a locknut 43 outwardly of said nut 42 relative to plug 39 locks the stop nutin the desired position on the end of rod 40 against accidentalloosening.

A collar 45 'is secured on rod 4I adjacent bore 31 and an expansion coilspring 46 around rod 4| reacts between the collar and the plug 39 foryieldably urging the rod in direction toward the fruit engaging block 9that is carried by rod IU and that yis coaxial with the rod 4I.v

The end 41 of blade holder 39 that is adjacent the fruit holder 4, is ofgenerally elliptical cross sectional contour and of reduced thicknessrelative to the portion of the blade holder in which the counterbore isformed, thereby providing an axially directed shoulder 48 facing thefruit engaging block 9.

A pair of horizontally elongated transversely curved blades 49 havetheir concave opposedly directed sides tted against the lateral oppositeouter sides of the end portion 41 of the fruit holder. These blades arespaced apart by the portion 41 of blade holder 30, and one of the endedges of said blades about the shoulder 49.

The opposite ends of blades 49 project from.

the end portion 4I toward the front engaging block 9 a substantialdistance which is preferably greater than the radius of the drupe 1(Fig. 7). The outer end edges 59 of blades 49 that so` project fromportion 4I are sharpened and are preferably linearly convexly curved asAseen in Fig-.3..

The ami lportion 41 has been described as be# between the edges of thepit normal to the axis of the stem-blossom ends of the pit.v v

. The 'concave opposed sides of blades 49 preferably have substantiallythe 'same curvature as sides 50, and also the longitudinal edges of saidblades are preferably sharpened.

, The outer ends of blades 49 terminate short of the end of rod 4l thatis adjacent thereto hence rod 4l projects outw-ardly of the end edgesvof said blades. The distance saidrod projects outwardly ofthe outer endsof the blades 49 is relatively short, and the space between theoutermost end of rod 4lV and the fruit engaging block 9 .is greater thanthe stem-blossom diameter o f the maximum drupe being processed.

The outer endiof rod 4l is adapted to readily engage the stem end of adrupe, such as a clingi stone peach, and this engagement is the rst stepin the processing of thev fruit. The following description willspecifically refer toa clingstone peach inasmuch as that is the fruitindicated at 1 in Figs. 5, 6, 1 and the invention is Very widelyvemployed in the making of spiced or pickled whole clingstone peaches.

In operation, the operator rst positions a peach 1 on support 4 withitssuture in a vertical plane and withy the stem end5l (Fig. '1) directedtoward the rod 4I. The stemV end o f the fruit is then centered againstthe end of said rod and upon movement of the rod 23 in direction towardthe crank disc I1, the arm 26wil1 engage the arm l2 and the fruitengaging block 9 will engage the blossom end of the fruit causing theblades 49 to pierce the fruit (Fig. 7) and to form an' elongated slit 52(Fig. 6) in the body of the fruit at opposite sides of the pit 53. Theslits 52 extend longitudinally of the blades and are transversely curvedas seen in Fig. 6 to substantially follow the contour of opposite sidesof pit 53.

The length of the stroke of the rod I0 in direction toward blades 49 issunicient to cause penetration of the blades 49 in'Fig. 7, orsubstantially the length of the pit 53; As the longitudinally extendingedges of blades 49 are spaced apart, it will be seen that the meat ofthe peach remains 'adhered to the pit at 55 (Fig. 6) along the edges ofthe pit and at 56 between the blossom ends of the pit and fruit body. .I

In the event an undersized peach (less than the maximum size) iscentered on 'the'fruit holder v4, the peach will be centered at itsblossom end in the concave face l5 of the fruit -engaging block 9, thusautomatically properly centering Ythe longitudinal axis of the pitrelative to the central axis of rods l0, 4 I.

As the peach is moved toward blades 49 and to the position indicated inFig. '7, the rod 4l is retracted against the resistance of the springaround rod 4l and at the same time the end of rod 4| that carries thenuts 42, 43 is moved away from the blade holder in direction toward thecrank disc l1.

In many instances the tension of spring 46 is suilicient to cause thepeach to be pushed off the blades, but this spring is not entirelyrelied upon for this purpose. Instead, a cam arm 51 is seto the depthindicated cured on the pitman 2| in a position to engage the retractedend of rod 4I on the upper quarter of the down stroke of the crank pin20, thus positively causing the rod 4I to eject the peach from theblades, the ejected peach then being caused to fall ontol the laterallydirected chute 60 for delivery of the peach to any desired point.

The blades 49 are coaxially apertured at 6I (Fig. 3) for passage of theends of stud bolts 62 loosely therethrough into portion 41 of the holder30. These stud bolts 62 are in horizontal coaxial alignmentperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of blade holder 39, and each hasa pair of lock nuts 63 threaded on its outer end. An expansion coilspring 64 around each bolt 62 reacts between thelock nuts 63 and the endof the blade that extends over portion 41 of the blade holder, thus.yieldably holding the blades parallel against 0pposite sides of portion41. K

By the foregoing structure the blades 49 will be heid against theshouider 4s of the blade holder-from moving axially during the piercingaction of the blades, but said blades may spread apart to accommodateexcessively large pits, or they may have relative pivotal movement aboutthe axis of stud bolts 62 or similar pivotal action about said axisirrespective of whether the blades are spread apart or not. -Thus,neither the fruit nor the blades can be injured due to misplaced,deformed, or excessively large pits.

Each blade has virtually universal movement,

about the blade retaining means and such movement may occur with oneblade or the other or with both, according to the character of the re-The nal product of the process or method is a clingstone drupe that hasa pair of slits respectively along each of the two opposite sides ofthe` pit for permitting ingress of the vpickling syrup or the like totheinterior ofthe drupe, thereby insuring a faster and more uniformdistribution of the syrup in the body of the drupe. However, ofparticular importance is the fact that the pit is loosened, but notseparated from the body Of the fruit.

This results in a product that is readily eaten inasmuch as flesh ormeat readily separates from the pit once the spoon, fork or knife is cutto one `slit'or the other. The peach itself normally bearsvno noticeableevidence of the slits, until they are eaten, thereby retaining theirdesired allel, elongated blades-parallel with said path and atoppcsitesides of said axis, said blades being transversely curved with theirconcave sides in opposed relationship and substantially conforming tothe cross-sectional contour of the opposite sides of said pit atopposite sides of the plane of its suture, drupe engaging means coaxialwith said axis spaced from one of the ends of said blades supported forreciprocable movement toward and away from said blades, said drupesupporting means extending between said drupe engaging means and saidblades and offset to one side of said axis for moving a drupe on saiddrupe supporting means onto said blades, with the latter extending intosaid drupe, means for reciprocating said drupe engaging means, and meansfor moving a drupe ,off said blades vupon movement of .said drupeengaging means away rfrom said blades.

12. 'A machine for partially loosening the pit Within a `clingstone.drupe that comprises drupe supporting :means for supporting a ydrupefor movement along a straight path `of travel longitudinally of itsstem-blossom axis, a pair `of -parallel, elongated blades parallel withsaid lpath and at vopposite sides of said axis, said lb-lades beingtransversely curved with their concave sides in opposed lrelationshipand .substantially yconforming `to -ithe -crossf-sectional contour Aofthe opposite sides `of said pit at opposite sides of the plane of itssuture, drupeengaging means coaxial with said axis spaced Afrom one -ofthe ends of said blades'supported for reciprocable movement `to- Wardand awa-y 1from said blades, said drupe supporting means extendingbetween said dru-pe en gaging means and said vblades and ofi-set to oneside=ofsaid^axis for moving a `drupe on -said drupe supporting meansonto said rblade with the latter extending into said drupe, means `forreciprocating said drupe engaging means, and means for moving `a drupeoff said blades upon movement of said fdrupe engaging means away fromsaid blades, a support for pivotally supporting said blades at theirends remote from said drupe engaging means extending between saidblades, means for yieldably holding said blades against opposite sidesof said support, and means on said support holding said blades againstlongitudinal movement in direction away from said drupe engaging means.

3. A machine for partially loosening the pit within a Aclingstone drupethat comprises drupe supporting means for supporting a drupe formovement `along a straight `pat-l1 of travel Vlongitudinally of itsstem-blossom axis, Aa pair of parallel, elongated blades Yparallel withsaid ypath and at opposite sides of said axis, said -blades 'beingtransversely curved with their concave sides in opposed relationship and.substantially conforming tothe cross sectional contour of ythe Oppositesides of said pit at opposite sides of the plane oi its suture, drupeengaging means coaxial with said Vaxis -spaced from one of the ends ofsaid blades supported for reciprocable movement toward and away fromsaid blades, said drupe supporting means extending between said drupeengaging means and said blades and offset to one side oi said axis formoving a drupe on said drape supporting means onto said blades with thelatter extending into said drupe, means for reciprocating said drupeengaging means, land Ymeans for moving a drupe off said blades uponmovement of said drupe engaging means away from said blades, a supportfor said ,blades kat their ends remote from said drupe engaging means,means oatingly securing said blades to said support for movement in adirection toward and away from each other and in planes at right anglesto said 8 direction, ymeans Vfor yieldably holding ysaid blades paralleland vparallel with said .path of travel of the drupe. '4. A machine forpartially loosening `the pit within Aa lclingstone drupe that .comprisesdrupe supporting means for supporting a .drupe for movement :along astraight path .of travel longitud-inally :of its stemeblossom axis, .a:pair of lpar-v allel, elongated Vblades parallel with said .path and atopposite sides of said axis, said :blades :being transversely .curvedwith their concave sides in opposed relationship yand substantiallyconforming 'to the ycross .sectional contour of the opposite sides ofsaid pit at lopposite .sides of the plane of its suture, :drupe engagingmeans coaxial -lwith said axis `spaced from .one of the ends of :saidblades supported for `reciprocable movement to.- ward and -away fromsaid blades, said drupe sup. porting means `extending between said drupeen.; gaging means and said blades and oiiset toone sideoi said axis forrmov-ing a drupe on said .drupe supporting lmea-ns onto said fbladeswith .the latter extending into said drupe, means for reciprocating saiddrupe engaging means, and vmeans for mov-ing a drupe oi -said bladesupon movement of said drupe engaging means away from said blades, saidlast lmentioned means .comprising a positioning member .supported`between said blades for reciproeation longitudinally .of said blades,one end of said member being Aadjacent the ends of said blades that arenearest said drupe engaging means and being adapted -to enter `therecess -in the stem-end -of a dnl-pe, means -for yieldably urging saidlmember -to a position with its said one end spaced outwardly of theadjacent ends oi said blades.

VANE LAWRENCE.

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1,0%,848 lBodman et al. `Dec. 5, 1911. 11,159,575 Eckles Nov. 9, 191,51,206,659 Bethke Nov. 28, 1916 1,362,807 lewis Deo. 21, i920y1,4.'1511-06 rvCaldwell Y Deo. l1, 1923 1,498g078 `Duncan June l?, i9242,029,344 Sheldon Feb. 4, 1935 12,034,490 Schnack .g... Mar. 17, 19362,300,212 Farmer Oct. 2'7, 194:2 2,326,407 .Steinwand Aug. l0, 1943V2,'3B0ii'130 .J epson v July '31,v 19515 2,531,927 Waters Nov. 28, 19502,549,008 Rasaka Apr. 17, 1951- OTHEB 'REFERENCES Y y California.vAgr-icultural Extension Servicev Gircular '10, "The vHome Preparationof.Fruit Candy," page v1,3.

